Pastor Barry's "Chapter & Verse" 2018

Pastor Barry's "Chapter & Verse" Day 279

Romans 7:4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. NIV

The Lord Jesus Christ took the curse of the Law upon Himself on the cross. Jesus never sinned, so all of the blessings recorded in Deuteronomy 28 belonged to Him legally. Jesus did not take the blessings for Himself. Instead, Jesus took the sins, sicknesses, poverty and spiritual death of humanity upon Himself and gave those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior, right standing with the Father and the blessings that legally were His. Through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on our behalf, we are dead to the requirements of the Law. An example is when we are born again, we identify with the death of Jesus through submersion in water baptism. When we raise up from the water we identify with the new life the Lord Jesus gives us, free from the bondage of the Law. We are free to grow in the things of the Lord and continue His ministry. The greatest ‘tool’ for ministry is the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus, when baptized by John the Baptist, was empowered by the Holy Spirit and His incredible ministry began. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit the miracle working power of the Holy Spirit comes upon you the same way to empower you to continue the ministry of Jesus. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we can bear much fruit, praying for others to be born again, Spirit filled and healed. The Law was given to show us that we were sinners and needed someone to help us. That was Jesus. We belong to Him and can bear His fruit.